Wipe Your Eyes (Previously Stay With Me)
by ClassyChristine
Summary: He's the only one there for her when she loses everything.
1. Chapter 1

_Woof!  
_  
Justice's unmistakable bark rings through the house. Diane looks at her clock. 12:46 p.m. What is going on? He never barks.

She quickly gets out of bed and throws on some jeans and a tank top, running down the stairs to the front door. When she sees a strange light from her kitchen, she calls justice and creeps in, astonished at what she is seeing when she gets there.

Bright orange flames are everywhere, smothering the entire room. She grabs Justice from the floor and her iPhone from the counter, not bothering to try and get anything else as she scrambles out the door into the cold night.

Looking back at her house, which is being covered in flames by the minute, she thinks about anything she might have left. Her files for work, her wallet and her purse, nothing she can't replace. She dials the number.

"911, what's your emergency?"

"I- there's a fire at my house, 706 Barrington lake drive." She can't stop her teeth from chattering as she talks into the phone, hugging her dog for warmth. She didn't bring a coat or shoes or anything.

"Please stand by, we're sending them right now."

"O-okay."

Beeeeeeeep.

The dispatcher is gone, and she's left alone in the dark. The two houses closest to hers are completely dark, and so is every other one she can see. She walks across the street, away from the smoke, and sits down in the wet grass, dropping Justice by her side. There is one number she can call.

"Hello?"

"Did I wake you?"

"Yes, Diane, you did. It better be important."

"Very important. Just get to my house as soon as you can, okay?" Tears are beginning to form in her eyes as she realizes she's about to lose everything she has inside that house. Every single thing, every single memory. Just gone.

"Okay, I'm on my way, bu-"

Her phone dies and she prays that he'll still come.

••••••••••••

By the time he arrives at her house the fire is about half gone. "Diane!" he cries, running over to the spot where she's sitting. "I came as fast as I could. Are you okay? What happened?"

She looks up at him, the sadness showing in her eyes. "I'm fine, Will. Thanks for coming."

"You're shivering! Why didn't you go to someone's house?"

"They're all sleeping."

He hands her his sweatshirt, despite the fact that he has nothing else on but a pair of gym shorts, and pulls her as close as he can.

"Here, I'm fine, you have nothing on-"

"No", he insists, pushing the jacket back towards her. "Keep it." She reluctantly puts it on and wraps her arms around him once again.

"I don't even know what started it, but it's all gone. Everything in that house that I put so much money into, and the money itself; everything for work…it's gone."

"What Happened?"

"Justice started barking and I knew something was going on . . . I . . . I was worried." She tries to wipe a tear from her face. "I just saw these flames and . . . and I grabbed him and my phone and ran."

"It's okay", he rubs her back and leads her to his car. "It'll be fine, I promise. Justice, come!" The dog had always listened to him well, just as he did with Diane. He runs up to them and jumps into the back seat, followed by Will and Diane.

"Excuse me!" calls a police officer, walking up to the car window. "Is this your house?"

"Yes", Diane replies almost silently.

"Do you mind my asking what started the fire?"

"She doesn't know." Will puts in.

"Okay, son", the police officer says, placing a firm hand on Will's shoulder. "Let her answer for herself."

"I-I don't know." Diane replies helplessly, with an exhausted shrug. "Sorry."

"It's fine." The officer says. "They almost have it put out. They managed to save an expensive looking coat, a few pictures, and a bag, though."

"Which bag?" her eyes brighten, hoping she hasn't lost all her files.

"This one." The look of disappointment re-enters her face as she takes her purse. At least she still has her wallet.

After what seems like the endless interrogation, the police cars pull out of the driveway, followed by the fire trucks. It's over.

"Bye will." She hands him his jacket and smiles weakly. "Thanks for coming, it meant a lot."

"Oh no, nice try." He says, grabbing her by the waist. "You're staying with me tonight."

And before she can protest, he leads her to his car, leaving nothing but ashes and darkness behind them.


	2. Sweet

"morning." She comes down the stairs in her tank top from last night and a pair of his shorts she's borrowed. Every last piece of her clothing was destroyed in the fire. He's reading a newspaper and drinking a large cup of coffee.

"Morning."

"I want some coffee," she smiles weakly, knowing that she can't really be happy right now.

He immediately jumps up from the couch and walks into the kitchen, returning a moment later with a matching cup. "You didn't think I forgot to get you one. There's donuts in there too If you want some."

"Thank you, Will. What'd you do, get up at 6? It's the weekend."

"No", he smiles, "I got up at 6:30."

She rolls here eyes and sits down beside him. "So, plans for today?"

"Well, I have to get your room ready-"

She stops him. "You are not going to that much trouble for me. It'll be months before my house is repaired. I'll stay in a hotel."

"No way." He replies. "You're staying with me, and we're going shopping for you."

"Okay, but I'm buying my clothes and paying half your bills. Fair enough?"

"Nope."

"What?"

He drops his paper on the table. "You have enough to pay for right now. Shopping is my treat and I won't let you pay for my house. We're best friends, it's not like you've never done anything for me."

"Will…"

"I insist."

"Ugh."

When they arrive at the mall, Diane immediately heads toward Ann Taylor, Will following.

"What, you weren't thinking of shopping at Forever 21?"

She smiles and slows down for him to catch up. "Some of us just have to face the fact that we're way past 21."

"Awe, you could pass for 21."

"No." she says, giving him a knowing look. "But thank you for trying to cheer me up."

"I'm serious!"

"Well you're wrong."

They enter the store and Diane heads straight for the sale rack."

"Well that's quite unlike you."

"Will, I'm not going to make you spend a thousand dollars on me."

"I'm not worried about it, seriously."

Stubbornly, she picks up a few items and heads toward the dressing room.

A few minutes later, as she's trying on her last pair of pants, he peeks behind the curtain and hands her four dresses. "Try these on." She searches for the price tags.

"Looking for these?" he holds up four slips of paper and pulls them away as she tries to grab them. "Try them on; you don't have to like them."

Reluctantly, she slips the first dress over her head and turns in front of the mirror. "It's pretty… but-"

"But what?"

"Don't you think it's a little young for me?"

"Nah."

"But for work?" she turns again, looking at the open back of the dress.

"Yes, Diane. Please, I'm buying it. And I want you to have it. It looks beautiful.

She chuckles. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now try on the next one."

"I can't believe you talked me into making you do this."

Diane and Will are walking out of the mall, overloaded with bags from most every store. "I would've done it anyway", he responds.

"You're the only person I can love and hate at the same time."

"I'm okay with that."

"But thank you."

"It's the least I could do."

They get into the car and drop their bags just as Will's phone rings.

"Hello? Alicia, It's Saturday-oh. Okay. I'm with Diane, we'll call you when we get to my house, okay?"

"Why are- okay." Diane hears Alicia's hesitant voice on the other line.

Will hangs up. "Alicia's got a case for us."


	3. Memories

"Alright, Alicia, you take care of it. Yep, see you Monday." He pus his phone down

On the table and looks at Diane. "Cary's got this one, and Alicia's helping. They did

The interview today and the pre-trial hearing is on Monday."

"Are you sure they can do it all?"

"of course." He assures her, hanging up the next dress from the pile of clothes on

The bed.

She grabs a pair of heels and sets them on the closet floor. "thanks for letting me

stay here, Will."

"No problem. So where do you want to go for dinner tonight?"

She lets go of her dress and it falls to the floor. "Tell me you don't expect to go out for dinner every night."

"Well I can't cook."

"I can."

"No. I don't mind taking you out."

"Sometimes we can, but I like to cook."

"I don't wanna make you do that."

"Don't be stupid, we're two people. What do you want for dinner?" She asks, sitting down on the bed.

"I want to eat out."

"only if I'm paying."

"No."

"That's what I thought."

"Fine, you win. Surprise me."

"Oh, I will."

"Dinner's ready!" she calls from the kitchen, setting the last plate down on the candlelit table.

"whoa." He stops in his tracks at the bottom of the stairs.

"I'll take that as a good kind of whoa."

"uh…yeah." He says, still in shock as he sits down at the table he barely ever uses. Normally it's a storage place for books, paperwork, and whatever else he has nowhere to put. Now, she has a green tablecloth draped over it, candles on either side and plates of food down the middle.

She slips off her oven mit. "like it?"

"Yeah…but you didn't have to go to that much trouble."

"oh yes I did. I owe you for letting me stay here."

"but-"

"shut up." She holds her fork inches from his face. "just eat."

He grabs a roll from the basket and takes a sip of his wine. "This is beautiful. Thank you."

"you're welcome", she smiles at him from across the table, holding up her glass. "Cheers!"

"to what?"

She thinks for a moment. "Your generosity."

"And yours." He touches his glass to hers.

_So tonight we're gonna party like it's nineteen- _"that's my phone." He sighs, taking it from his pocket.

She smiles. "New ringtone?"

He winks back at her. "Hello?" he says into the phone, pressing the speaker button.

"Will? It's Alicia."

"Hey Alicia. Something wrong with the case?"

"Oh, no, it's fine, I just wanted to know if you wanted to go out for a beer with me."

"oh. I'm sorry, we're eating in tonight."

"we?"

"Yeah." Will replies. "Me, Diane, and Justice."

Diane chuckles. "you can go." She whispers. "We'll have a fancy dinner without you."

Will shakes his head and shrugs, not even paying attention to alicia's continuous rant. "-and you promised last week that you would-" her voice echoes from the speaker.

"Alicia, I'll see you tomorrow." He presses the red button and puts his phone back in his pocket, rolling his eyes.

"I'm serious, you can go." Diane looks at him knowingly.

"Nah." He smiles. "I'd rather eat with you and Justice anyway."

"okay, I won't argue with that."

Diane lays in her bed, trying to sleep, but her attempts are gets up and walks downstairs to get a glass of water, only to find Will sitting on the kitchen counter.

"Is the bed not comfortable enough?"

"That's not it at all", she sighs, sitting down beside him.

"Then what is it?"

"I just can't get the vision of that fire out of my head, everything I have being burnt down. It's keeping me awake."

"I'm sorry", he says.

"It's okay. It's not your fault." She leans her head on his shoulder and looks at the windowsill. On it sits the picture of them that he's had there for longer than she can remember. She remembers that night, though. They had been at the first party Will was at the firm for, after he won his first case. He was sitting on the meeting table and she jumped up behind him, scaring him so bad that he dropped his drink. He had insisted on having that picture framed and sworn he'd keep it forever.

"Remember that?" he asks her.

She nods. "Stern took that picture."

"I know."

"How long has it been since we were that happy?"

"It comes and goes."

"Yeah."

"It's in my room, too."

"The picture?"

"mhm."

She laughs. "We've changed so much. Did you keep the one I took of you and Alicia?"

"only because you took it."

"What's going on with her? You don't seem very interested anymore."

He shrugs. "Maybe I'm not."

"Or maybe it's because I'm here? You don't have to stay all the time, I'm a big girl."

"It's not that. I just… I don't know."

"You'll get it, trust me." She gets up and looks at him. "Life's a climb, but the view at the top is amazing." She begins walking back toward the stairs.

"have you reached it yet?"

She stops and turns around. "what?"

"the top."

She looks down. "I…I don't know."

And then she continues up the stairs, leaving him alone in the dark.


	4. Unbearable

Monday morning, Cary sits in the courtroom, waiting for the hearing to begin. "Mr. Agos?" he hears judge Cuesta call. He walks up to the front of the room.

"Yes, your honor?"

"We've decided your firm will take this case. Your client's indigent, but he's claiming he's innocent, so he needs a lawyer, and that's you." He takes the folder. "There's what you'll need, I'll see you for that case on Friday."

"O-okay. Do I have time to make a phone call?"

"Hurry up, the hearing starts in ten minutes."

He steps out of the room and dials Alicia's number. "Hello?" she answers in a whisper. "Make it quick, I'm in a meeting."

"Well you need to be here in ten minutes-"

"I know."

He repeats what Judge cuesta told him, arranges a meeting, and hangs up, heading Into the courtroom once again.

"He's obviously innocent." Alicia drops her papers and leans back in her chair. "Doesn't look like we should have any trouble."

Will pokes his head in. "What are you guys up to?"

Alicia smiles and sits up. "Will! You can sit down, we're just discussing a new case."

"_Another_ new case? Should I take this one?"

"We got it." Cary responds. "it should be an easy case. He's saying he's innocent and all the signs are saying the same thing."

"What are they saying he did?"

"Burned down a house." Alicia hands Will the papers and he just stares at them, mouth open.

"Something wrong?" Cary asks.

"Yeah." Will holds up the second picture. "You don't recognize this house?"

Just then, Diane steps into the room. "Will, bad news. The man that burned my house down is claiming he's innocent and he-"

She sees the photo in Will's hand and covers her mouth, taking a step backward and catching herself on the wall. "_No._"

"Don't worry, Diane, we haven't taken the case yet. And we're not going to." Will assures her.

"Uh…" Alicia looks terrified as she speaks. "We're stuck with it. The man's indigent and we were ordered to take it."

Will slams his papers down on the table. "Alicia, we are NOT taking this case, so SHUT UP!" he screams, startling all of them. Then he storms out of the room without another word.

"Diane, I'm sorry-" Alicia begins. But Diane holds up her hand and then runs out of the room after him.

"Can I come in?"

Diane enters Will's office and sits down on the couch, slipping her heels off. "What was all that about?"

"I don't know, I shouldn't have snapped at her like that."

"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have said anything. After last night, you're trying to prove to yourself that you don't have feelings for her.

"I-I'm not sure if that's it at all." He puts his head down on the desk and sighs.

"Come here." She pats the seat beside her and he moves to the couch, sitting sideways and putting his back to hers. "It'll be okay. She was more worried about you than she was about herself."

"What about you?"

"What _about_ me?"

"The case."

"Well I'm not taking it."

"I don't expect you to. I'll keep it as far away from you as I can."

"Do you think he did it?" she whispers.

"Yes, but I have no choice but to argue the other way."

"I know, maybe he'll agree to plead guilty."

"I doubt it. But I'll see you later." She gets up. "I have someone to talk to."

Normally, Will would follow her. He wants to talk to Alicia too. But he just sits there, waiting, listening, until he finally decides it's better to leave them alone.

Diane enters Alicia's office, sitting down across from her desk. "It's not your fault, Alicia. Will was just trying to defend me."

"I know. Are you okay?" Alicia asks, worried.

"I'll be fine." Diane sighs. "It's not like anyone died."

"But it's obvious this man was out to kill you."

"Maybe not."

"But probably. Just be careful, okay?"

"I can take care of myself." Diane says before walking out of the office. But Alicia can't help but think a selfish thought: _And if she can't, I'm sure _Will_ is happy to._

It's not like she could help being a little jealous.


End file.
